Prepayment attachment for gas-meters.



PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903,

E. L. EERSENH'EIM. PREPAYMENT ATTACHMENT POR GAS METERS.y

APPLICATION FILED NOV. Z0, 1902.

NO MODEL.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 1.

lll

MAAF

INVENTUR.

BY w@ 14 E S S E N H W ATTORNEYS ma' uomus mens co. wore-urne., wnswmmcm. n, a

PATENTED Nov. s, 190s.

v R. L. PERSENHEIM.

PREPAYMENT ATTACHMENT FOR GAS METERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

AM. En@

WITNESSES:

mvENToR A ATTORNEYS 1HE mums VETERS co. Pnoruuwo., WASHINGTON. u4 c.

UNITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

i PATENT OEEIOE.

RUDOLPH L. FERSENHEIM, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

PREPAYMENT ATTACHMENT FOR GAS-METERS.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 743,068, dated November 3, 1903. Application filed November 20, 1902. `Serial No.V 132.977. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom t m/a/y concern:

' Be it known that I, RUDOLPH L. FERSEN- HEIM,a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, andstate of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Fre#` payment Attachments for Gas-Meters, uof which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices by the use of which a limited supply of gas will be furnished, the action ofthe apparatus being dependent upon theintroduction of a coin of predetermined value. l.

My invention has for its object to provide an apparatus ofthe above-indicated class in which the flow of gas will be interfered with as little as possible and in which the operation of the device-will be easy and reliable Figure l is a front view-of the main `por-` tion of my invention. "Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of agas-meter with my attachment connected therewith, with parts broken away and others shown in section. YFig. 3is a sectional elevation onl line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional elevations on lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Fig. 3, respectively. Fig.` 6 is a sectional elevation on line 6 6 of Fig. 3, and Fig. '7 is an enlarged detai-l sectional elevation of certain parts of the mechanism.

The apparatus is provided with a chute 1 for the introduction of a suitable coin e, such as a quarter. Adjacent to the chute l' is located a rotary coin-receiver 2, having a slot f, through which the coin may pass. this coin-receiver 2 is in its normal position,

as illustrated in Fig. 4, the coin will slide' down until it engages a curved wall 29 andA rotated in the direction indicated by the ar.- row in Fig. 4, it remains in contact with the Whenrwhich the shaft passes.

wall 29, being prevented from sliding down byeng'aging a shelf 6, which is located adjacentto the chute 1. Fig. 5 shows the coin resting on the shelf 6. The coin-receiver 2 is rotated in any suitable manner-for instance, by means of a handle 4. The wall 29 is slotted at its upper portion, as shown in Fig. 3, thus` allowing the teeth of a star-wheel 5 to project into the path of the coin e. Thus when the coin is rotated farther upward from the position shown in Fig. 5 a partial turn will be given to the star-wheel 5, which is mounted on the shaft 17. The amount of this partial turn is equivalent to the distance between two teeth. In order that the starwheel 5 may be positively held in a predetermined position, there is provided an arm l2,` mounted upon a shaft 31 and provided with a pin 13, adapted to engage the notches of the star-wheel 7, as shown best in Fig. 4. A spring 1l has a tendency to draw the pin 13 toward the center of the wheel 5; but it will be understood that the tension of this spri-ngis overcome when `the star-wheel is turned through the medium of a coin, as described. ".On the shaft 1'7 is also rigidly secured, so as to rotate with.the star-wheel 5, a pinion 7, which is in engagement with the threads of a Iworm 8. This worm is mounted to turn with a shaft 20,`but'is capable of sliding thereon. For instance, theworm may be provided with a pin 21, projecting into a longitudinal groove 33 of the said shaft. Thus when the star-wheel 5 is rotated the worm 8 will be shifted lengthwise of the shaft without rotation, as the pitch of theworm-thread is such that the pinion 7 cannot impart rotation to" the worm. The ends of the worm are in engagement with arms 34, projected from the slide 9, which is prevented from turning in any suitable manner, as by engaging the pin 10, hereinafter referred to. This slide 9 is supported on the shaft 20 by having the arms `.34 provided with openings, through It will therefore be understood that the` slide 9 moves lengthwise of the shaft 20, together with the worm 8, but

doesnot rotate with the worm. The slide 9 is formed witha rack 32, engaging a pinion 14 upona shaft 15, which also carries a pointer 16, arranged to indicate on a. scale 18.

On the shaft 20, which is journaled in bear- IOO ings 22 and 23, is rigidly carried a gear-wheel 24, which is adapted to mesh with a pinion 27, journaled in an arm 25. This arm is normally stationary, being held in position by a screw 37; but by loosening the screw the arm may be released for the purpose of adjusting it to a diiferent position. as will be more fully explained presently. With the pinion 27 is rigidly connected a gear-wheel 26, engaging a pinion 28 upon a drive-shaft 39. The rate at which this shaft rotates depends on the amount of gas iiowing through the' meter. When the price of the gas is altered, a pinion 28 of different diameter is substituted, and it is for this reason that the wheel 26 and pinion 27 are mounted upon an adjustable arm 25.

' The drive-shaft 39 may receive its motion from the meter mechanism in any suitable manner. I have shown .the said shaft connected with another shaft 49 through the medium of two con pling-sections 52 53, having a connecting-pin 54. On the shaft-49 is mounted a worm-Wheel 47, meshing with a worm 46 upon a shaft 43. This shaft carries a disk 42, having a series of pins 41. These pins are adapted to be struck by a revolving arm 40, rigid with a wormA56 on a shaft 55, which worm engages a worm-wheel 57 on a shaft 58, which is connected to the customary indicating-gear 59 of the meter. The parts may be so proportioned that nine revolutions of the arm will take place while one cubic foot of gas is delivered and that one revolution of the shaft 43 will correspond to the supply of one cubic foot of gas.

The slide 9 is provided with a notch 45, (see Fig. 5,) into which projects a pin 10, projected from a crank arm b upon a shaft c. This shaft extends into a small casing p, arranged behind the main casing and having a gas-inlet h connected with the meter. Within this casing p a crank-arm n is mounted upon the shaft c, and this arm extends through a slot m in a valve-rod l, which is guided to slide vertically in a projection k of the casingp and another projection 7c of the outlet-coupling g, which is adapted to screw upon the casing p. This outlet-coupling is provided with a bend i, so that its discharge end may be in proper position for connection with the service-pipe. The lower end of the coupling member gis provided with a seatjl for the valve d, which is mounted upon the rod l, the said valve being in the nature of a piston.

For the sake of convenience in effecting repairs and inspecting the apparatus, as well as removing the coins therefrom, I prefer to hinge the front 35 of the apparatus, as indicated at 36, providing a hasp 38 or equivalent device at the bottom for the purpose of normally locking the front. The handle 4 moves with the front 35, but is in operative engagement with the coin-receiver 2 when the front is closed. Owing to the provision of a movable front, the shafts which extend from front to rearthat is, the shafts 15, 17, and 3l, as well as the rod 30, which is employed for securing the wall 29-have their front ends carried by a plate or partition 19, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The operation in detail is as follows: A coin e is introduced, as indicated in Fig. 4, and then the coin-receiver 2 is rotated by means of the handle 4 until the coin engages the star-wheel 5, as shown in Fig. 5. This wheel then being rotated by the coin until the latter slides off the shelf 6 and drops into the bott-om of the apparatus, the pinion 7, which is connected with the star-wheel, causes the worm 8, with the slide 9, to be moved lengthwise over the shaft 20-that is, toward the left in Figs. 2 and 4 andl toward the right in Fig. 5. The movement of the slide by the engagement of the pin 10 in the notch 45 carries the crank b with it, so as to cause the valve d to open. At the same time the pinion 14 is rotated, thus placing the pointer 16 at the proper division of the scale 18. As soon as the valve d is open the gas begins to flow through the meter and through the connecting member g to the service-pipe, operating the parts of the meter in any approved manner. This causes the disk 42 to be given an intermittent rotation, and through the medium of the shafts 49 and 39 this rotation is transmitted to the train of gearing 28 26 27 24, so that the shaft 20 is rotated. Inasmuch as the pin 21 compels the worm 8 to rotate with the shaft 20, and inasmuch as the pinion 7, which engages the threads of the worm 8, is held stationary by the action of the spring 1l on the star-wheel 5, it follows that the rotation of the shaft 2O will cause the worm 8 to work toward the right in Figs. 2 and 4- that is, toward its original position. During such return movement of the worm the slide 9 will obviously be caused to likewise return to its original position, and this slide, by means of the rack 32, brings the pointer 16 back to its initial position and, further, by its action on the pin 10 causes the crank b to be turned so as to close the valve d. Thus when the worm again reaches the position shown in the drawings the valve is closed and the flow of gas is interrupted automatically.

I desire it to be clearly understood that in the preferred form of my invention, as shown herein, the gas is caused to r'st pass through the meter andthen through the passage which is controlled by the valve d. ThusY no check is placed in the path of the gas before it reaches the meter, and the full power of the gas is availablefor driving they meter.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a prepayment attachment for gas-me ters, the combination of a worm having operative connection with the mete'r, an arm driven by said worm, a disk having a series of projections adapted to be struck by said arm to turn the disk intermittently, adevice for starting the flow of gas, and means controlled by the movement of said disk, for terminating the iiow of gas. 1

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2. In a prepayment attachment for gas-meters, an operating mechanism which comprises a revolving arm connected with the meter mechanism, a disk having projections adapted for engagement by said arm, a worm held to turn with said disk, a worm-wheelengaging said worm, a shaft in line with the axis of the worm-wheel, a coupling for connecting said shaft withthe worm-wheel, and means controlled by the movement of said shaft, for governing the flowof gas.

3. A prepayment attachment for gas-meters, comprising a shaft, a slide movable lengthwise of said shaft, a worm mounted to slide with said slide and to rotate with said shaft, a pinion engaging the worm and adapted to produce a movement thereoflengthwise of the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a gas-controlling valve operatively connected with said slide, and means for turning said pinion to shift the slide and open the valve.

4. A prepayment attachment `for gas-meters, comprising a shaft, a slide movable lengthwise of said shaft, a worm mounted to slide with said slide and to rotate with said shaft, a pinion engaging the worm and adapted to produce a movement thereof lengthwise of the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a gas-controlling valve operatively connected with said slide, a star-wheel rigidly connected means for guiding the coin as Vsaid receiver.

is turned, so that the coin will engage and operate the star-wheel.

6. The combination with a shaft and means for rotating it, of a slide mounted to move lengthwise of said shaft but held against rotation, a worm mounted to slide on the shaft but held against rotation relatively thereto, a gas-controllin g valve operatively connected with the slide, means for moving the slide and the worm in such a direction as to open the valve, and an indicator operated by the movement of the slide.

7. The combination with a shaft and a worm held to'turn therewith yet capable of sliding lengthwise thereon, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the shaft, together with the worm, a rack on the slide, a pointer operated by said rack, a gas controlling valve operated by the movement of said slide, means for throwing the slide in the direction which causes the valve to open, and means controlled bythe iiow of gas for turning the said l shaft and bringing the worm and slide back to their original position.

8. The combination with a normally stationary shaft, of a slide movable lengthwise thereof, mechanism for causing said slide to travel lengthwise of the shaft as the latter rotates, means for throwing the slide in one direction, a gas-controlling valve which is op-` eratively connected with the slide and which is opened when said slide is thrown in said direction, and means controlled by the iiow of gas for rotating said shaft and causing the slide and valve to return to their normal position. i

y 9. The combination with a shaft, ofa slide mounted to move lengthwise of said shaft, means for throwing said slide in one direction, a controlling-valve operatively connected with said slide to open when the slide is thrown in said direction, a gear-wheel on said shaft, a normally stationary arm which is mounted to swing for adjustment about an ion and a gear-wheel mounted on said arm to turn withthe said gear-wheel on the shaft, a

drive-shaft, an exchangeable pinion on said drive-shaft, which pinion is in engagement with the gear-wheel on said arm, means con` trolled by the flow of a iiuid for rotating the said drive-shaft and the shaft lengthwise of which the slide moves, and means for causing the slide to he shifted lengthwise of the shaft back to its original position as the shaft rotates.

10. In a prepayment attachment for gasmeters, the combination of a coin receiver mounted to turn and provided with a slot eX- tending therethrough entirely, a curved guide upon which the coin is arranged to drop and by which it is guided, an inwardly-projecting lip at the lower end of said guide, a stationary shelf arranged on the side of the coin-receiver opposite to the said guide, a star-wheel projecting through said guide into the path of the coin, and controlling mechanism governed by said star-wheel.

l1. In a prepayment attachment for gasmeters, the combination of a shaft, a starwheel on said shaft, a pinion connected with the star-wheel, the said pinion and star-wheel being mounted to turn simultaneously, a coinreceiver arranged to bring a coin into drivingengagement with the star-wheel, a longitudinally-movable worm engaging said pinion, means for normally holding the starwheel against rotation, and controlling mechanism governed by the longitudinal movement of said worm. Y In testimony whereof `I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUDOLPH L. FERSENHEIM.

Witnesses:

JOHN LoTKA, EUGENE EBLE.

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